


Quinoa

by AgingPhangirl (Madophelia)



Series: One-Word Prompts [4]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Body Image, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, One Word Prompts, Prompt Fic, Weight Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 04:59:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11867250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madophelia/pseuds/AgingPhangirl
Summary: Theres quinoa in the kitchen again and Dan is frowning at his reflection. Theres only so long Phil can let this go on before he's pressing microwave popcorn into his hands during a live show.





	Quinoa

**Author's Note:**

> This was part of my celebration for reaching 800 followers on Tumblr where I asked people to send me one-word prompts

The packet is back in the kitchen a mere week after they get back from America. Phil sees it nestled in the bottom of a shopping bag during their delivery and heaves it out with a sigh. 

“Are we back on that then?” Because it’s always  _ we. _ Dan always insists he does it too. 

“I thought so,” Dan shrugs, pulling out broccoli and... is that fennel? “We’ve both had one too many pancakes in the last few months.” 

Phil nods, doesn’t try to fight him on it, because he’s seen the way Dan’s eyes linger over the comments on his latest videos. He watched him stand in front of the large mirror in the hallway, frowning softly. Phil doesn’t do much during these moments, just presses a kiss to Dan’s temple if the situation allows and leaves Dan to brood about it. He’s tried arguing the point that Dan is beautiful regardless before, but it doesn’t get him anywhere. 

The thing is, Phil has sweets all over the house. He buys them without thinking whenever he’s out, his brother brought him some back from their recent trip to Sweden, and one way or another, he’s got food temptations everywhere.He doesn’t tell Dan.

He hasn’t made any specific promises not to eat those things, but he wagers Dan would look at him disapprovingly if he did it blatantly, at least for the next couple of days, when the quinoa packet is still a novelty. 

There is a lot of green on his plate for a few days, and Dan drags the DDR pad into the living room one frantic day just ‘see if he can still do it’. Phil knows that most of the trouble is that there are pictures of his younger self everywhere. It’s easier to deal with your encroaching thirties, and the way your body starts to betray you at the mere sight of pizza, if you don’t have to be reminded of the time you were a skinny teenager every five seconds. But their lives are everywhere, the way Dan used to look when he was youthful and spry is shoved in his face at every turn, and Phil hates that Dan sees that as better. The hair not withstanding. 

Phil loves Dan now, the curve of his hips, the strong squeeze of his thighs. He’s never once looked back and wished he could revisit the younger Dan, the one that fit under his arm, the small, timid boy of only eighteen. He loved that then, he loves Dan now. He doesn’t prefer one over the other. He’s grown, they’ve grown, together, and Phil wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Dan though, Dan prods a finger into the slight pudge of his stomach and buys the bag of quinoa.

A few weeks of health food and movement-tracking video games are enough to make Dan's jawline slightly stronger again, to bring back the slight pop of a collarbone and a hip jutting under his pale skin. Phil doesn’t mind either way, but Dan seems happier. The quinoa is still in the kitchen though, the over-ambitiously large packet staring at them with its health-related guilt. 

Phil deems it okay to bring the sweets out after that. The bag still half full, but Dan is posing in the mirror more, taking selfies, so he isn’t met with a scowl as he suggests the Swedish fish as an incentive in their next gaming video. He wins, but he gives one to Dan anyway, just to prove the point that Dan can eat what he wants. He’ll love him anyway.

Another week goes by and Dan orders a muffin when they’re out getting coffee. That’s a good sign, even if it does lead to a strange social encounter he’ll probably never live down. Phil sneaks a cookie onto the counter and walks away. Dan pays, he doesn’t bring up that they probably shouldn’t be eating the sweet things in the first place.

Later, in the live show, Dan brings up the quinoa again. There’s one more serving left in the bag, maybe two. Phil knew it was coming, especially when they’ve been reminiscing about American food, the time they stuffed themselves of Chicago pizza. It’s enough to make Dan shift in his seat, hold the pillow over his stomach like the mere mention of tasty treats is enough to make him pack on the pounds.

Phil gives him the popcorn when his eyes are shut, subtly reminds him that its something they know well, has been a part of their entire history. He’s trying to make light of it, but Dan still brings up the damn quinoa at the end. 

“Are you going to make me quinoa?” Phil asks, because maybe if they finish it, they can give up this ridiculous charade, Dan doesn’t need the health kick, he’s perfect just as he is. 

“I dunno. Maybe.” He’s mad about Phil giving him the popcorn, but he sounds fond anyway. 

When the show is over Phil decides it might be time to say something after all. He’s let it go on because he didn’t think it was really a big deal, just a passing whim, a few weeks of correction after the indulgence of the States and yeah, he kind of agrees that they need to make better choices now and again. But now Dan is looking at the bag of quinoa and saying they need to add another bag to their next order of shopping, he’s sliding the popcorn back into the very depths of their cupboard with a frown. He’s tugging on the hem of his jumper, pulling it lower, covering himself. 

“You know you don’t need to do the whole healthy eating thing,” Phil says, trying to sound casual. 

“We do though,” Dan insists. Because it’s always  _ we. _

“I mean, yeah. Like, a bit. But... you know you’re gorgeous right? Just the way you are.” 

He see the colour in that rosy patch on Dan’s cheek and knows the bored look he has on his face is all for show.

“I like you any which way,” Phil says, reaching out and pulling Dan closer, hooking his fingers into the waistband of his jeans, proving that there is room for them in there. “I like you all the ways. I want you all the ways.” 

Dan huffs a laugh into the crook of Phil’s neck as he gathers him close, “Right now?” he asks. 

Phil nods, skimming hands down Dan’s sides, feeling the dips and curves of him that he knows so well. Loving them, whatever their size. 

“You’re crazy,” Dan notes, “An absolute dork. you know that?” 

Phil does know that, but Dan is smiling and pulling him in for a kiss, and he doesn’t look down at his stomach and frown when Phil pulls of his shirt, so he’ll carry on being crazy for a bit longer. 

Later, after Phil has shown Dan exactly which bits he likes (all of them) and which he doesn’t (none of them), and they’re lying tired and happy in their shared bed, grey sheets rucked up under Phil’s spine, he hears the faint grumble of Dan’s stomach in the quiet of the room. 

“Hungry?” Phil asks.

“I guess so,” Dan replies. His eyes are half closed and he’s unashamedly naked, Phil can’t help but be proud of his handiwork. 

He’s silent, waiting to see what Dan will suggest. There is still some quinoa left after all.

“Want to order pizza?” Dan asks.

Phil is already reaching for the phone. 

In the morning he clears the mostly-empty bag of quinoa into the bin with the pizza box. He kisses Dan full on the mouth and Dan doesn’t protest. It’ll be back, Phil knows, Dan won’t let him get away with the indulgent lifestyle for too long, but right now he has more sweets hidden around that he can’t wait to get his hands on.


End file.
